City of St. George still faces plenty of questions, if created, but source of funding isn't one
Of all the unknowns facing a new city of St. George, how residents will initially fund the parish’s newest municipality isn’t one of them.
Voters will decide Oct. 12 whether to carve out a fifth municipality in East Baton Rouge Parish. The proposed City of St. George would extend from extend from La. 30 on the west to the Amite River on the east in the southeastern corner of the parish.
St. George would draw much of its $58 million budget from a 2 percent sales tax already in place across the parish. Because the new municipality doesn’t have its own school district or park system, property taxes would stay the same and no portion would go to St. George.
For now.
If the new city adds or reduces services to its 86,000 residents, tax obligations could fluctuate as well. And if St. George proceeds with plans to carve out a new school system, it could divert property taxes from the East Baton Rouge Parish School District at the current rate. Or, as Central did after a 2005 breakaway, dedicate a property tax increase to school construction with voter approval — though St. George backers say that would undermine their calling.
Read more: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_77a24eb0-8e18-11e9-a0da-235fbb535001.html